If it gets too dark, I can light the way with my phone-light. See? It's bright. Want me to shine it in your eyes?
Amphibian! In the desert!
Matthew, Leigh and Jacob make the trek back out to the car.
So contemplative and quiet. You'd never know she was such a crazy!
Gah. Yes. I like animals. And you just don't see them that often here.
Leigh was a little concerned about walking on fallen palms to cross the ravine. Ellen was...helping her...get over...her fears. Yeah. That.
Only one thing to say here. "Your grandma's in the hospital. Broke her coccyx riding dune buggies."
Clinton and sister Tara.
OMG. And now, Dave Martinez's glamour shot sequence or photo essay, "Why I should be a desert model."
The art of war: Take the high ground.
Canady photo-op.
We were so high up you could see the curvature of the Earth. Ok, no, I was just sliding down the dune.
Canadys (Tres and Tara)
Don't look down!
OH, the grace of a camel. And these poor girls (our Danish girl-companions) had already been through the ringer with the dune bashing!
More group dance - introducing the Canadys: Clinton's Aunt Alexa, Rita, Clinton, and Tara.
Inlaid precious stones and colored natural marble make up the nearly 1200 columns in the mosque.
Beautiful mosaics decorate several alcoves.
Our guide demonstrates the practice of ablution, which is a ceremonial washing before prayer.
Chandeliers were prominent in the mosque, most are artisan glass and Swarovski crystals - and they are all huge.
The wall toward which people would pray (facing the direction of Mecca) is decorated with white gold and the names of Allah in Arabic (the word Allah is the large, central writing in the circle).
Covering is required so even though I had on a long-sleeved sweater, covering neck, arms and chest over a floor-length dress and had brough a scarf to cover my head, I still had to don an abbaya (HOT!).
